Stories

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3.13.2024 -

Rudy Espinoza, President & CEO of Inclusive Action for the City, on LA’s Street Vendors, Micro-Loans, and More

The Entrepreneurs of Color Fund (EOCF) is designed to get much-needed capital directly into the hands of small business owners serving communities of color, and has over twenty CDFI partners in local markets across the country, with LISC as national manager. Inclusive Action for the City (IAC) is a community development financial institution and an EOCF partner in Los Angeles providing micro-loans to businesses, with a focus on food vendors. IAC’s Rudy Espinoza explains why protecting street vendors must not be a passing trend but a sustained cultural shift that creates a more inclusive economy.

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3.07.2024 -

A Pioneering Woman Plumber Is Growing Her Business with a Boost from LISC

Fewer than 2% of plumbers are women, but Anna Hall, the president of P&H Divine Plumbing in Chicago, is a barrier-breaking entrepreneur in the field. The first female plumber to work for the city’s Department of Water Management, Hall started her company to employ more people who looked like her and serve communities other contractors often avoided. Now, with an investment from LISC Fund Management’s Diverse Supplier Grant Initiative, sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, Hall is realizing her vision for growing Divine Plumbing. Meet her and learn more in the video below!

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3.04.2024 -

Home Ownership is Near for Long-Time Renters on New York City's Lower East Side

Amidst record-high rental rates and limited affordable housing opportunities, some New York City residents are finding hope in the Affordable Neighborhood Co-op Program (ANCP). LISC New York helped the nonprofit Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) secure $9.6 million in construction financing to renovate three downtown Manhattan buildings and convert them to affordable for-sale housing. Following two years of renovation, existing tenants at East 12th Street are  preparing to purchase shares in their future cooperative building.

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2.08.2024 -

What Three Years of Investment Can Do: Stories from LISC’s Black Economic Development Fund

In recognition of Black History Month, we’d like you to meet four organizations that, through support from LISC and the Black Economic Development Fund, are creating housing, employment and other economic opportunities in the neighborhoods that need them the most.

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1.03.2024 -

This App is Giving Kansas Residents with Criminal Records a Second Chance

A criminal record, no matter how old, still prevents people from securing employment, housing, and participating in their communities. But getting an outdated record cleared or expunged can be a financially and emotionally burdensome process. With support from LISC, Kansas City Digital Drive (KCDD) has been piloting the use of Clear My Record, an app designed to simplify the process of expunging criminal charges. And it’s already working, changing lives and paving the way for formerly justice system-involved Kansas City, Kansas residents to realize their goals. It’s also a promising new technology with potential to ramp up expungement efforts across the country.

12.20.2023 -

With LISC Loan, Electrical Contractor Expands Capacity and Green Offerings

Memphis Electric, with help from a $1 million LISC small business loan is seeking larger contracts, reducing reliance on factoring, and upskilling staff. The company is helping build a stronger network of diverse suppliers nationally to support a greener economy.